Suction cleaner



Jan. 3, 1939.

|- B. WHITE SUCTION CLEANERv Filed July' 6, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet .1

lea 1- ATTORNEY Jan. 3, 1939. HBWHn-E 2,142,810

SUCTION CLEANER Filed July 6, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR 8 v v BY ATTO RNEY Patented Jana 3, 193g T .r T E SUCTIQN CLEEE poration of Ohio Application July 6, 1936, Serial No. 89,062

15 Claims.

The invention relates to improvements in suction cleaners and more particularly to cleaners of the portable handle maneuvered type of suetion cleaner in which provision is made for cleaning draperies and surfaces other than floor coverings by the utilization of flexible hose and auxiliary dusting tools.

The object of the present invention is to provide a suction cleaner so designed that in order to attach or apply the dusting tool hose for the purpose of converting the cleaner for off-thefioor cleaning operation, it must first be tilted to raise the nozzle to a substantially greater height above the carpet surface than is normal for onthe-floor cleaning operation. The necessity for elevating the nozzle above the carpet surface during off-the-floor cleaning operations applies particularly to cleaners equipped with rotary brushes or heaters which operate continuously and therefore on one spot on the carpet if the cleaner remains in one positionfor a considerable length of time. Thus to insure against undue carpet. wear provision is not only made for elevating the nozzle preparatory to oif-the-floor cleaning operation, but making it impossible to convert the cleaner for this method of operation unless and until the nozzle has first been elevated.

It may be stated in this connection that the broad combination of nozzle adjusting devices interconnected with means for the converting of a cleaner for operating with hose and dusting tools has been disclosed in an earlier Letters Patentgranted to me on December 1'7, 1935, No. 2,024,260. However, the present disclosure embodies certain improvements, both structural and functional and it is to these that the present invention is directed.

all

A preferred embodiment of the invention is disclosed in the accompanying drawings in which,

Figure l is a general view in side elevation of a standard type of suction cleaner showing the application of the improved features,

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of the cleaner position following the depression of the rear portion of the cleaner casing,

Figure 5 is a bottom plan view of the cleaner casing corresponding to the showing of Figure 2 but with the converter fitting inserted and associated parts shifted for ofT-the-floor cleaning, and

Figure 6 is a detailed view in vertical section taken on line 6-5 of Figure 5.

Referring first to the suction'cleaner in its general aspects the same is more or less typical of those comprising a wheeled casing I having a nozzle portion 2 extending transversely of its forward end and having a downwardly facing mouth or nozzle opening. Within the nozzle and extending lengthwise thereof is a rotary agitator or beater 3 (Figure 1) which is invisible except for a portion of the beater elements projecting a fraction of an inch below the nozzle opening.

The casing I is largely devoted to the formation of a fan chamber l enclosing a fan 5 directly connected with a motor (not shown) enclosed within a dome-like casing ii surmounting the casing. The motor and fan rotate about a vertical axis and the fan 5 has an extension I passing downwardly through the circular opening or eye ta to the fan chamber l and terminating a short distance therebeyond in a pulley la. which carries'the drive belt 8 for the agitator 3.

Secured to the bottom wall of the main casing and forming an enclosure for the fan eye 4a as well as the pulley extension 1 of the drive shaft is a shallow inverted cap 9 having a forwardly facing opening which registers with a convergent passage leading directly to the nozzle chamber and closed by a bottom plate II). This passage connects the nozzle directly with the fan chamber through the circular fan eye 4a, the dirt laden air being drawn through the nozzle and into the fan chamber by the suction-produced by the fan rotating at high speed and thence discharged rearwardly through a flanged outlet H and into a dirt bag l2 detachably connected thereto by means of suitable clamping members E3.

The cleaner is provided with supporting wheels, one pair M lt being located at the front end of the cleaner casing and just rearwardly of the nozzle and the other pair l5-l5 providing a caster-like arrangement located at the rear 01' the casing.

Now, in order to .raise and lower the nozzle with relation to the floor surface, either the front or rear wheels may be mounted for vertical adjustment by providing pivoted supports for thewheel axles. In this instance, the rear wheels 15-45 have been selected for adjustable mounting on the casing, although it might be added that the reverse arrangement could be adopted.

The vertically adjustable rear wheel mounting including a manually operable adjusting de- Ill vice therefor, will now be briefly described, although for the most part the assembly is standard construction in suction cleaners.- For this reason, the description may be confined to essential details with proper emphasis upon those departures in design which contribute to the novel features of the invention. Thus it is common practice to assemble the rear wheels in the form of a caster, that is to say, to mount the wheels at opposite ends of a short axle I6 arranged transversely of the casing and supported at one end of a link I'I, having the form of a plate with its side edges bent upwardly at right angles to form flanges Ila-Ila having end portions projecting beyond the body of the plate to form ears in which the axle I6 is supported as clearly shown in Figure 3. Depending vertically downward from the bottom of the cleaner casing I and immediately in front of the rear caster, is the caster supporting bracket l8 consisting of transversely spaced webs l8al8a supporting a transverse pivot or hinge pin l9 at their lower ends on which the caster link I! is pivoted, the flanged edges I 1a of the caster link embracing the ends of the depending webs |8a of the supporting bracket l8 with the pivot pin l9 passing through their end portions. Thus, the caster link I! extending in a substantially horizontal rearwardly direction from its supporting bracket l8, it follows that by swinging the caster bodily with relation to the cleaner, the latter will be tilted about the front wheels as a fulcrum and the nozzle raised or lowered with respect to the floor surface.

Now a practical way of adjusting the caster is to connect the lower end of an endwise shiftable rod to the caster and support its upper end in a bracket on the cleaner casing, the rod being threaded and carrying an adjusting nut for shifting the rod.

In the present disclosure; a somewhat similar type of caster adjustment device is employed, except that the adjusting nut is operated only to raise the caster and consequently in a direction to lower the nozzle into closer contact with the floor surface, a torsion spring acting upon the caster to swing the same in the opposite direction or downwardly with respect to the cleaner casing. The torsion spring 20 just referred to, is carried by the pivot pin l9 and as clearly shown in Figure 3 is preferably divided into two sections separated by a straight U-shaped portion 2011 which bears flatwise against the caster link l1, while the outer extremities of each coiled section are suitably anchored to the supporting bracket II. n.

Thus as already suggested, the manually operated adjusting device for the rear caster comprises the vertically extending rod or stem 2| threaded throughout the major part of its length from its central portion upwardly and at its ,lower end it is provided with a longitudinally slotted portion 21a, in which rides one end of'the axle IS. The upper end of the threaded stem 2| projects through a bracket 22 fixed to the cleaner casing on one side thereof and surmounting the upper end of the threaded stem and bearing downwardly upon the bracket 22 is the knurled adjusting nut 23. The rear caster adjusting device also includes an indicating device whereby the position of the caster relative to the cleaner casing and therefore the corresponding height of the nozzle above the floor, can be visually determined by the operator by means of a dial and pointer arrangement which indicates the nozzle height by such designation as the letters L", M, and H, which stand for low, medium and high, respectively. It is not necessary for the purpose of the present disclosure to describe the visual indicator of the nozzle adjusting device since it is a feature common to this type of adjustment.

This completes the nozzle adjusting mechanism per se and now reference will be made to those parts of the cleaner having to do with its conversion from on-the-floor to ofi-the-floor cleaning. As is well known in the art, the act of converting the cleaner consists primarily in diverting the incoming air stream from the main nozzle to the dusting tool hose. This may be accomplished in one of several ways but for the purpose of the present disclosure, a comparatively simple andquite practical method of conversion has been shown wherein a specially designed fitting is attached at one end of the dusting tool hose and which, when inserted into a converter port communicating with a space immediately below and surrounding the entrance to the fan chamber, the passage from the nozzle chamber is closed off and communication is simultaneously established through the hose.

Now, as clearly shown in Figures 2 and 5 there is cast integral with the bottom cover member 9,

a laterally extending passage 24 substantiallyrectangular in section and opening outwardly from one side of the cleaner just beneath the main casing l and immediately behind the nozzle 2. The inner end of this passage 24 is normally closed by means of a spring actuated gate valve 25 pivotally mounted along its lower edge on a pin 25a to swing downwardly and inwardlyfrom its vertical closed position as shown in dotted lines in Figure 6, a torsion spring 26 coiled around the hinge pin 25a acting to return it to its normal position.

The converter fitting 21 is an elongated tubular extension either permanently or detachably connected at one end of the dusting tool hose 2. with a fiat blade-like end portion rectangular in cross sectionan'd otherwise dimensioned to fit snugly into the converter port or passage 24. Throughout most of its length the converter fitting maintains its blade-like contour, but at its end it converges to a point by the curvature of one of the narrow side walls and the cutting back or recessing of theopposite side wall as is clearly shown in Figure 5." By virtue of this particular shaping, a laterally facing inlet port is formed. at the extreme end of the converter fitting 21 so that when the fitting is inserted endwise into the converter port as shown in Figure 5, the inner end portion thereof completely traverses the passage from the nozzle chamber to the fan chamber, thus closing off said passage and diverting the incoming air stream through the dusting tool hose 28 directly into the eye" to the fan chamber. It is not deemed necessary to elaborate upon the arrangement of parts for accomplishing the conversion, inasmuch as the same has been disclosed elsewhere and more .particularly in Letters Patent No. 2,070,682, dated February 16, 1937.

. It may be added that upon inserting the converter fitting the gate valve 25 is opened by contact therewith, assuming the open position shown in Figure 6 and upon the withdrawal of the converter member returns to closed position. Furthermore, the converter fitting 21 is preferably equipped with a spring-pressed latch member 29 which holds the same in place until released to a permit the fitting to be withdrawn.

Now, to complete the interconnection between the nozzle adjusting mechanism and the converter arrangement just described, attention will again be directed to the caster link which supports the wheel and axle assembly. Integral with this link and more definitely with the upturned edge flanges Ila thereof nearest the converter passage 24, is a laterally and rearwardly extending lever arm 30 resembling a finger in shape. As clearly shown in Figures 1 and 2, the base of the finger-like lever arm 30 is co-extensive with theedge of the flange Ila with which it is integral and from its base, projects laterally and forwardly at an angle of substantially 45 degrees to the imaginary center line of the cleaner, and, approaching the rear wall of the converter passage 24, is bent through an obtuse angle into a plane parallel with but offset inwardly from the entrance of said passage. The passage is thus intersected by the tip end portion 30a of the lever arm 3|] which normally rests in a transverse slot 3| formed partly in the rear upright wall and partly in the bottom wall of the passage.

Bearing in mind that the object of this arrangement is to prevent the cleaner from being converted for oif-the-iloor cleaning operation 'unless the nozzle has first been elevated above the floor surface, the lever 30 serves primarily as a barrier to prevent the converter fitting from being inserted into the port or passage 24, until it has first been displaced by a corresponding adjustment of the caster in a direction to elevate the nozzle and secondarily, as a lever arm to prevent the nozzle from being lowered as long as the converter fitting remains in its port.

Thus to alter the cleaner from its arrangement for normal cleaning operation as shown in Figure 1, wherein the nozzle has been adjusted to the proper height for the carpet surface being cleaned, it is first necessary to swing the rear caster toward the bottom of the cleaner casing, which of course, will raise the nozzle. Now, this movement can be performed without interference from or any manipulation of the manual adjusting device, by reason of the slip joint or slotted connection between the threaded adjusting stem 2! and the caster assembly. And conversely, the slip joint does not interfere with the manual adjustment because of the torsion spring 20 acting to depress the axle I6 and to hold it at the bottom of the slotted portion 2la of the threaded stem H. In short, the so-called slip joint connection between the rod 2| and the caster, together with the tension spring 20 is quite the equivalent of a solid connection, and particularly so since the spring 20 is strong enough to hold the caster in maximum depressed position as determined by the manual adjustment, against the weight of the cleaner and whatever pressure is exerted thereon through the handle during normal cleaning operation. However, it is possible to overcome the tension exerted by the torsion spring 20 by pressing downwardly on the rear end of the cleaner as shown in Figure 4, and as a matter of fact, this is actually what is done when it is desired to insert the dusting tool converter fitting. Thus, without disturbing in any way the normal nozzle height adjustment, the operator merely presses downwardly on the rear end of the cleaner, using either the hand (as shown in Figure 4) or the foot, and the result is, first, the tilting of the entire cleaner about the front wheels in a direction to elevate the nozzle to the required height above the carpet surface and second, it swings the barrier lever 30 in a downward direction to a position immediately below the entrance or mouth to the converter passage 24. And while the cleaner is thus tilted. the converter fitting 21 is inserted into the converter opening or port 24, whereupon the pressure on the rear of the cleaner may now be released inasmuch as the barrier lever 30, bearing against the inserted converted fitting 21 holds 10 the cleaner in its tilted position and against the tension of the spring 20.

Now, when the converter fitting is withdrawn, the barrier lever is free to resume its normal position in the entrance to the converter passage and the caster to return to its normal position at the lower end of the slot 2la at the end of the rod 2| under the action of the spring 20 which, as already stated, is strong enough to lift the rear end of the cleaner and thus automatically restore the nozzle to its normal height for on-the-floor cleaning operation as determined by the setting of the adjusting knob 23.

It may be preferable to limit the distance that the rear end portion of the cleaner body may be depressed in order to fix the lower limit of the downward swinging movement of the barrier lever 30 so that it drops just clear of the converter port, as clearly shown in Figure 4. This limitation of the movement of the lever is accomplished by a stop pin 32 projecting inwardly from the base of the barrier lever 30 so arranged as to contact the rearwardly facing inclined edge of the adjacent depending web l8a of the caster supporting bracket 18 when the cleaner casing is tilted preparatory to inserting the converter fitting, thus insuring the uniform displacement of the barrier lever 30 with respect to the con verter port irrespective of the setting of the manual adjusting device.

The advantages of the improved arrangement, more or less apparent from the foregoing description, may now be summarized as follows: It provides an effective bar against the conversion of the cleaner for off-the-floor cleaning unless the nozzle has first been raised to the proper height above the'floor surface and to accomplish this, it is merely a matter of depressing the rear end of the cleaner casing and automatically, the converter port is unbarred so that the converter fitting can be inserted'into place. Again, when the fitting is inserted it serves in an auxiliary capacity of a locking member, holding the cleaner in nozzle elevated position until the fitting is withdrawn whereupon the cleaner is automatically restored to normal carpet cleaning operation. And in this connection it is quite advantageous to be able to raise and lower the nozzle for oilthe-floor cleaning operation without disturbing or changing the normal nozzle height adjustment for on-the-floor cleaning operation. This, of course, is made possible by the presence of the slip joint connection between the manual adjusting device and the hinged caster assembly including the relatively strong torsion spring capable of supporting the normal weight exerted on the rear end of the cleaner.

Thus, having set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention, I claim:

1. In asuction cleaner, the combination of a wheeled casing having a nozzle and a port adapted to receive a converter member for the purpose described, a wheel carrying member adjustably mounted on said casing, a spring acting on said wheel carrying member to overcome the weight normally supported by the wheel carried thereby, and a lever arm carried by said wheel carrying member and normally positioned to obstruct the entrance to said port, but shiftable from obstructing position upon the application of suflicient downward pressure-on said casing to overcome the tension of said spring.

2. In a suction cleaner, the combination of a casing having a nozzle and a port adapted to receive a converter member for the purpose described, wheels supporting said casing, a supporting bracket for one of said wheels pivotally mounted adjacent one end of said casing for a limited swinging movement, a spring acting on said bracket and adapted to overcome the weight normally carried by the bracket, and a lever arm carried by said bracket and normally positioned to bar the entrance to said port but shiftable out of port obstructing position upon the application of pressure on said casing in a direction to overcome the tension of said spring.

3. In a suction cleaner, the combination of a casing having a nozzle and a port adapted to receive a converter member for converting said cleaner to off-the-floor cleaning, a spring pressed wheel carrying bracket pivotally mounted at the end of said casing remote from said nozzle and adapted to support the adjacent end of said casing against depression under normal load conditions, and a barrier member carried by said bracket and normally positioned to close said port but shiftable from port closing position in the act of exerting suificient pressure on said casing in a direction to raise the nozzle.

4. In a suction cleaner, the combination of a wheeled casing including a suction-producing unit and having a nozzle communicating with said suction-producing unit and a port adapted to receive a converter member for converting said cleaner to oiI-the-floor cleaning and also communicating with said suction-producing unit, a bracket pivotally mounted on said casing and supporting the wheels at the end thereof remote from said nozzle, tension means acting on said support to overcome the load normally carried thereby, and an arm carried by said bracket and adapted in the normal position thereof to bar said port to the insertion of said converter member and to be shifted, in the act of exerting sufficient pressure on the casing to raise the nozzle to a position to permit the insertion of said converter member and, when said pressure is released, to contact said converter member and thereby hold said casing in nozzle elevated position.

5. In a suction cleaner, the combination of a casing having a nozzle and a port adapted to receive a converter member for operating said 'cleaner for ofi-the-floor cleaning, a supporting wheel pivotally mounted on said casing and adapted to be adjusted to raise and lower said nozzle portion, a manual adjusting device having a slip joint connection with said wheel and operative to adjust the same vertically upward and downward, a spring acting on said wheel to oppose a force tending to shift it in a direction to raise said nozzle portion and a lever arm movable with said pivoted supporting wheel and positioned normally to obstruct the entrance to said converter port and shiftable from said port with the tilting elevation of said nozzle above the floor surface to permit the insertion of the converter member for the purpose described.

6. In a suction cleaner, the combination of a casing having a nozzle at its forward end and a struct the entrance to said converter port, and

a spring acting on said pivoted wheel supporting bracket to oppose the relative movement of said supporting wheel and casing in a direction to elevate the nozzle and the simultaneous shifting of said lever arm to unbar said port to permit the insertion of the converter member, the subsequent bearing of said lever arm against said converter member acting to retain said casing in nozzle elevated position against the tension of said spring.

7. In a suction cleaner, the combination of a casing including a suction producing unit and a nozzle communicating with said unit through a connecting passage having a port adapted to receive a converter member for converting said cleaner to ofi-the-floor cleaning operation, supporting wheels mounted adjacent the front and rear ends of said casing, the wheel at the end of said casing remote from said nozzle being journaled on a support pivotally mounted on said casing and adapted to shift through a limited arc to raise and lower said nozzle, a manual nozzle height adjusting device mounted on said casing and comprising an endwise shiftable member having a slip joint connection with said adjustable wheel support, a spring acting on said pivoted wheel support to maintain said nozzle at the height set by said manual adjusting device, and a barrier lever arm carried by said pivoted wheel support and normally positioned in said port to prevent the insertion of said converter member, said lever being shifted to uncover said port by the tilting of said casing in a direction to elevate the nozzle against the tension of said spring and acting to maintain said casing in the nozzle elevated position by contact with said converter member.

' 8. In a suction cleaner, the combination of a casing including a suction producing unit and a nozzle at its forward end communicating with said unit by means of a passage having a port adapted to receive a converter member for converting said cleaner for oiT-the-fioor cleaning,

supporting wheels mounted at opposite ends of said casing, the wheels at the rear end being adjustable bodily to raise and lower said nozzle, a link pivotally connected to said casing and supporting said adjustable wheels, a manual adjusting device having slip joint connection with said pivoted wheel supporting link, a spring acting on said link and capable of holding the same at one extremity of said slip joint connection against the weight normally supported by said adjustable wheel, a barrier lever arm carried by said pivoted wheel supporting link and normally positioned to obstruct the entrance to said converter port and shiftable to a position adjacent thereto upon the tilting of said casing in a direction to raise said nozzle and compress said spring thereby uncovering said port to permit the insertion of said converter member.

9. In a suction cleaner, the combination of a casing including a suction producing unit, a

nozzle at its forward end communicating with 76 said suction producing unit and a port adapted to receive a converting member for converting mally acting to obstruct the entrance to said converter port and shiftable therefrom by the application of suiiicient external force on said casing to simultaneously elevate the nozzle and shift said lever into a position adjacent the port, whereupon said converter member may be inserted in said port and by contact with said barrier lever hold said nozzle in elevated position against the tension of said spring during the onthe-floor cleaning operation.

10. In a suction cleaner, the combination of a casing including a nozzle, supporting wheels mounted adjacent the front and rear ends of said casing, a supporting bracket for the wheels at the rear ehd of said casing and adjustable relatively to said casing to raise and lower said nozzle, a spring acting on said bracket to yieldingly support the weight normally carried by the wheels, and a manually operated nozzle height adjusting device mounted on said casing and having a slip-joint connection with said bracket, whereby a. predetermined height of said nozzle may be established without interfering with the momentary raising ofsaid nozzle by a force applied to said casing in a direction to overcome the tension of said spring.

, 11. In a suction cleaner, the combination of a casing including a nozzle, supporting wheels mounted adjacent the front and rear ends of said casing, a bracket supportingthe wheels at the rear end of the casing and having pivotal connection with said casing, a spring acting on tension of said spring and tilt said casing in the opposite direction.

12. In a suction cleaner, the combination or a casing including a nozzle, supporting wheels mounted adjacent the front and rear ends of said casing, a bracket pivotally mounted on said casing and carrying the wheels at the rear end of said casing for swinging movement through} a limited arc to eflect the raising and lowering of said nozzle, a manually operative nozzle height adjusting device mounted on said casing and having a slip-joint ,connection with said pivoted wheel supporting bracket, and a spring acting on said bracket to maintain said wheels at the height fixed by said manual adjusting device and against the weight normallysupported by said wheels, said slip-joint connection permitting said casing to be momentarily. tilted in a direction to raise the nozzle above the floor by the application of pressure sumcient to overcome the tension of said spring.

13. In a suction cleaner, the combination of a casing having a nozzle and a port adapted to receive a converter member, a spring-pressed wheel supporting bracket adjacent the rear end of said casing and adapted to be swung through a limited arc to effect the raising and lowering of said nozzle, manually operative nozzle adjusting means carried by said casing and connected with said wheel supporting bracket through a slipjoint connection, whereby said nozzle may be raised by applying pressure upon said casing sufficient to overcome the tension of said spring, and a lever arm carried by said pivoted wheel supporting bracket and normally positioned in the entrance to said port to prevent the insertion of a converter membensaid lever being adapted to be shifted below said port entrance with the raising of the'nozzle to permit the insertion of a converter member into said port, and thereafter to bear against said converter member under spring tension when the pressure'on said casing is released.

14. In a suction cleaner, the combination of a casing having a nozzle and a port adapted to receive a converter member for the purpose described, Wheels supporting said casing, a sup-- porting bracket for the rear wheels pivotally mounted on said casing for limiting swinging movement to raise and lower said nozzle, a spring acting on said bracket to maintain said nozzle at a predetermined height against the weight normally supported by the wheels carried by said bracket, and a lever arm connected with said bracket and normally positioned to obstruct the entrance to said port and to be shifted to a position below said port to permit the insertion of said converter member upon the application of sufiicient pressure on said casing to overcome the tension of said spring and elevate said nozzle, said lever arm being pressed into contact with said converter member by the tension of said spring when the pressure upon said casing is relieved to thereby lock said converter in said port.

15. In a suction cleaner, the combination of a casing having a nozzle and a port adapted to receive a converter member for the purpose described, Wheels supporting said casing, a supporting bracket for one of said wheels and pivotally mounted adjacent the rear end of said casing for limiting swinging movement in a direction to raise and lower said nozzle, a torsion spring acting through said bracket to maintain said nozzle at a predetermined height against the weight normally supported by the wheels carried by said bracket, and a lever arm carried by said bracket and normally positioned to obstruct the entrance to said converter port but shiftable to a position adjacent said port to permit the insertionof said converter member ,upon the application of sufflcient downward pressure on the rear end of said casing to overcome the tension of said spring and thus elevate said nozzle, said lever arm being held by said spring against said converter member upon the release of pressure upon said casing acting to hold said casing in nozzle elevated position and to lock said converter in said port. 

